a bleeding purple utah jazz blog

Bits from Dante Exum Interview, 7/28

** The show hilariously introduced Exum with Shania Twain. “Looks like we made it, look how far we’ve come my baby…”** Dante is just like the rest of us. He doesn’t like hearing his own voice.

Tell us about Boomers (Australian national team) camp. Has it been a nice escape from the intense American media?
Yeah, the media over there is crazy there. The media, you’re doing something for the media after every practice, after every game. So you know, just to come over here and have a quiet [time with] all the guys, just be back into something I’m used to.

Your roomie, Joe Ingles, told us last week that he was planning on taking you under his wing during Boomers camp, eh?
Yeah, he’s been pretty good as a roommate, but for him taking me under [his] wing, I don’t know, so. (laughs)

Mate, what do you think your role on the Boomers will be during the World Cup? Did you get clarity on that during camp?
Yeah, I got a good understanding through it. You know, there’s, got [Matthew Dellavedova] at the point, but you know, our system and what we run is basically, anyone at the point’s one. Joe Ingles being very versatile, he can play the one. I can play the one.

So, and you know, losing Patty [Mills] was, it was hard for the team…’cause everyone really wants the medal. So you know, we put in certain plays that helps us get shots that Patty would’ve been able to get, so.

Joey told us he’s going to get all of Patty’s shots, so good luck getting your shots at the World Cup.

Well, hopefully I get the ball in my hands, and I won’t be passing to him.

Have the Jazz been supportive of you playing with the Boomers?
Yeah, and they think it’s a good opportunity for me to get a bit of experience before I head into the NBA season, ’cause you know, I didn’t play college ball and I’ve come, like, basically straight out of high school. So you know, they think it’s just a good opportunity for me to go over there, get a kind of a feel for the professional game, and just head back to Utah after that, so.

What was the strangest thing you were asked during draft interviews?
You know, I think it was at the combine and I was in an interview, and they asked me, like, “Other than marijuana, what drugs do you use?”

Did you know you were going to Utah before Adam Silver said your name?
No, it’s like, to be honest, like, on the bus ride over, they said the Jazz said that if I fell to five, that they were going to take me, so I knew that was kinda my ceiling, or. And then when my agent, my agent called me after that and was kind of, like, trying to sell Utah to me, and I kinda, I had a feeling that that’s where I was going, so.

And then [at the draft], I found out Orlando wasn’t going to take me, and then I got a call from [Quin Snyder], and he just talked me through how they were gonna use me, and what the plan is for the future, so.

What were some of the elements of Utah that your coach sold you on?

Yeah, it was just basically him being a point guard coach, and the experience he has had overseas and what he’s gonna bring as an NBA coach. And I thought going into that type of system, it’s gonna fit me well with having [Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis] here as a coach and how he’s similar to his kind of style, so.

Do you have a chip on your shoulder from the Orlando Magic passing you over?
No, I don’t buy into any of that stuff. And, they had a vision for where they wanna go with their program, and I’m not going out to prove anyone anything.

You know, I’m happy where I am at the Utah Jazz, and they’ve invested a lot in me and willing to invest a lot. So you know, I’m just happy to be there and I just wanna do what I, the expectations I put on myself. So yeah, I’m not going into the NBA season saying, “I want to prove the Magic wrong,” so.

We’re going to play a little game with you to help you prepare for being a member of the Utah Jazz.
Oh no.

Who led the Jazz in scoring last season?

Gordon Hayward.

For a bonus point, how many points a game do you reckon?

I’m going to say, 18?

Not too bad, 16. What is a “Ute”?

I have no clue…I would say it’s an animal.

Good try. It comes from the Ute tribe of Native Americans, which is where the state of Utah gets its name. How many championships has the Jazz franchise won in its history?

They have won zero.

That is correct. The Jazz have retired the numbers of seven players. Can you name three?

Yeah. So, Pete Maravich. ‘Cause I wanted to take No. 7, but he had it. And then, Stockton and Malone.